Ring knot
A Ring knot is a simple knot that is actually just a means of securing a knot, without the knot itself. Ring knots are used to attach a rope to another object: a carabiner, a rod or even the rope itself. A ring knot can be tied with a variety of securing knots: Overhand knot, double overhand knot, two Half hitches etc. Actually, a Ring knot is a concept rather than a knot.
Origin
Ring knot was
Related knots
A Ring knot without the obect arround which it is supposed to be tied is a Slip knot.
Usage and characteristics
Locking a belay device is actually a version of a ring knot. When there might be a need to undo the knot, half hithes are used.
when a permanent knot is needed, as in a binner at the end of a toprope, for camps or in a gym, a double or tripple overhand knot is better used. as a matter of fact, a slip knot is a ring knot, only it lacks the ring.
Further reading
Contributions to this page by: Micha Yaniv and others